Entertainment writer

The high cost of keeping children entertained during the holiday season ... Chitty Chitty Bang Bang will set parents back $105.90 to $129.90 per ticket.

THEY are the tiny critics taking over the arts world, with enthusiasm to see the best show in town. But parents will need hundreds of dollars per child over the next month, if their children want to see the major events designed for them - from Charlie and Lola to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Toddlers and primary school-age children are being exposed to an increasing number of high-end professional productions, experts say, with parents facing the pressure of entertainment costs within the family budget.

''It has gradually been increasing over a number of years and there is an enormous amount of productions for young children,'' said Wendy Preston, the creator of Sydney for Kids, a website for parents named after the guidebook she wrote with the same name.

Hit with the kids ... Charlie and Lola.

She said the enthusiasm of parents for cultural experiences for their children, including theatre events, concerts, art exhibitions and museum events, has grown at the same rate as families' penchant for designer clothing and accessories.

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''I think people have a bit more money to spend on their kids. Now that many families have both parents working, that's made a difference,'' Ms Preston said.

She said that the older age of parents may also be a factor influencing families' decisions to attend cultural events.

But some parents are showing concern about the ''keeping up with the Joneses'' nature of attending cultural events with young children.

''There is definitely a lot of pressure and, quite literally, a very sad perception that the only way to be a good parent is to see the latest thing,'' said Amanda Cox, who runs realmums.com.au from her home city of Melbourne.

''They feel they have to take them to these events and make them more culturally aware … I do believe there is a social pressure. There are other ways [to be creative] that are more age appropriate.''

Another major growth area is high-end holiday programs for young children at prestigious cultural institutions, including the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Kensington.

While tennis and outdoor camps remain a popular option for families, many children age two and over are being signed up for filmmaking, photography and dramatic arts.

The program at NIDA has run for two decades but has grown because of the burgeoning demand from parents for cultural activities for their children.

''Our youth program has grown from strength to strength in the last few years - so much so we've had to employ an extra staff member to handle the volume of [calls] coming our way,'' said the course manager Jenevieve Chang.

But she said it was about nurturing creativity rather than competitive parenting. ''People value creativity more and more now,'' she said.

But, of course, there are plenty of families who don't have the cash to splash around for a day at the Opera House, let alone the movies.

''There are some families who aren't in that situation,'' Ms Preston said. ''[But] there are opportunities that don't cost a lot as well - for example, the free events in the Sydney Festival.''